The Riverbed
by CallistosCrow
Summary: "My brother is mean to you because he likes you," Gyda told the younger girl as she braided her hair. "Are you sure?" Esme grimaced-finding it hard to believe that the boy who held a sword to her neck earlier that morning 'liked' her. "Oh, yes," Gyda smiled as she teased the blushing girl. "I think you will be married someday-with 12 children!" The two girls giggled. BjornXOC


**I'm back! I know its been a long time... But, my other stories will be receiving updates soon (with the exception of my SOA story :( Sorry SOA fans. I have a good reason, I promise). AND I will be coming out with a few new stories. Thank you so much for caring about me, having faith in me, and continuing to support my work. **

**Much Love, **

**Callistoscrow**

**P.S. Emeralds and Armor will be receiving an update soon. :) It's already in the works.**

* * *

Esmelda laid uncomfortably as tears dripped from her cheeks to the bedding that she rested on. She hadn't slept at all that night, nor could she remember getting any sleep the night before. She missed her home. She missed her mother. Esmelda wondered if her mother was mad at her. If she had not went to the river would she be safe in her small house, instead of here?

_Here_.

She didn't know where '_here_' was. The heathens that snatched her up didn't even speak in her tongue. She didn't understand who they were or what they wanted. All 10-year-old Esmelda understood was that bad men had took her away from her family.

The girl quickly closed her eyes as she heard someone enter the room. The floor creaked, telling Esmelda that her visitor was getting closer. Her heart beat fast as she felt eyes staring at her.

"I see you. I know you are not asleep," Esmelda's eyes opened wildly as she heard the voice speak in her tongue. She sat up straight in her bed and looked at the strong man sitting beside her.

"Who are you?" the girl asked as she pulled the furs closer around her neck.

"I am Ragnar," the man said as he looked at the girl with soft eyes. "Who are you?"

"Esmelda," she practically whispered—as if she were afraid her name would be heard by the wrong person.

Ragnar smirked. "May I call you Esme?"

The girl twisted her face in confusion as she thought over what the man had asked her. After a few moments of debating in her head, she silently nodded to him—letting him know that she would settle with the name he bestowed her.

"You will come live with me," Ragnar told the girl. He looked her in the eyes as he noticed her lip begin to tremble.

"I do not want to live with you," the girl crossed her arms in defiance. "I want my mother and father."

"I am afraid that will not happen," Ragnar spoke in a tone of sympathy. "I have a son and a daughter that you can play with. My home will become your home."

Ragnar could tell by the look on the child's face as she stared off into space that she was not impressed, nor convinced by what he was saying.

"You will like my home," he promised her.

* * *

"We cannot keep her," Floki growled in a whispering voice. "You should not have taken her!"

Helga looked sadly into the room where Ragnar and the young girl were talking.

"I know I should not have," Helga sighed as sadness filled her heart. "But she was just lying there by the riverbank. She looked close the death."

"That is not our concern. She was not yours to save, Helga. She is a Christian," Floki spoke in disgust.

In truth, Floki hadn't minded the young girl's presence much until he had seen her on her knees in her room praying to her false God. Once she had unknowingly exposed herself as a Christian, Helga had to beg Floki to stop him from throwing her out on her own.

"She does not understand," Helga reasoned. "Her parents raised her to believe in the false God."

"It does not matter," Floki spoke harshly. "The Gods will curse us for having her here."

* * *

Esmelda opened her eyes in the morning and saw a girl of about fourteen lying next to her. She had almost forgotten that the man had taken her to his home late the night before. She was so sleep deprived and sore that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder when he picked her up to leave Floki's home—and she had only now woken from that deep slumber.

As Esmelda removed her furs and went to get out of the bed, she noticed that someone must had changed her into fresh clothes.

She jumped down off the bed and quietly walked out of the room. If she could sneak out of the house, she could find her way back home—or at least she hoped.

"Where do you think you are going?" a familiar ragged voice spoke up as Esme had almost made it outside of the house.

She looked up into the eyes of the handsome man that had saved her last night.

"I think I am going home," she answered in a determined voice.

Ragnar crossed his arms as he momentarily admired the girl's bravery.

"You cannot go home yet," he knotted up the girl's dark hair by patting her head and he smiled at her. "There are many people who want to meet you."

* * *

"Lagertha, look who I found."

Lagertha was still in bed when Ragnar walked into the bedroom with Esme trailing behind him.

"Well, hello there."

Esme gave the woman a questionable and forced smile.

"My name is Lagertha," the blonde woman gave the girl the warmest smile she could. "What is your name?"

The girl looked up at Ragnar. She was suddenly confused on whether she should give the woman her true name or the name Ragnar had given her.

"Esmelda."

"Well, Esmelda. It is a pleasure to meet you. My husband has told me of you. Have you met Bjorn and Gyda?" Lagertha asked Esme.

"No," Esme stated quietly as she stared at the ground.

"Well, come here and let me braid your hair. Then we will meet them."

* * *

Bjorn had just returned from fishing when he saw the brunette girl sitting next to his mother.

"Who are you?" Bjorn scrunched his face in confusion.

"Bjorn, this is Esme," Ragnar spoke gently to his son. "She will be living with us."

"Why?" Bjorn asked loudly. He was irritated that the girl had not answered the question he had asked her.

Ragnar shared a look with Lagertha before answering the question. It was obvious that their youngest child was upset with the attention Esme was getting.

"She does not speak our language. She does not know what you are saying to her. We will have to teach her." Ragnar began to explain. "Helga found her laying by a riverbank. She did not look to be alive. Floki would not let Helga keep her, so I promised Helga that we would care for her."

"But she is not ours," Bjorn stated plainly.

"You are right," Ragnar began. "She is not Viking. But we can teach her to be Viking."

Bjorn looked again at the girl. She looked down at her hands as the people around her spoke in a language she could not understand.

"She will never be strong like us."

Ragnar huffed in slight aggravation. He had not expected such jealousy to come from his son.

"Bjorn, you are to treat Esme as your sister," Lagertha spoke up. "She needs you to protect her and to train her to be a great shieldmaiden."

Silence filled the air for a moment as Bjorn thought over the words his mother had said.

"Will you protect her, Bjorn?" Lagertha asked. "And teach her to fight?"

"Yes, Mother," Bjorn suddenly felt a strong sense of duty. "I will."

A large smile appeared on Ragnar's face "That's my boy!" Ragnar boasted proudly as he patted his son on the shoulder.

Bjorn barely heard his father's words—he was too busy thinking about how he was going to train this girl to fight.

_Training will need to begin soon if I'm supposed to make her a great shieldmaiden_, the twelve-year-old boy thought to himself.

* * *

**So, that's it! you guys know the drill! If you like it, leave a review. I love to know what you guys think. Thanks so much for reading! Y'all are the best!**


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